1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge for mounting a door on a frame of a furniture article and more particularly to a hinge with an adjustable hinge arm which enables adjustment of the mounted door relative to the supporting frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of hinges for mounting a door on a furniture article such as a desk or cabinet have been used in the furniture and cabinetry industry for many years. An example of one such device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,622. Many of such devices include multiple adjustment components making them bulky, difficult to adjust, quick to wear, and unstable. Typically, one or more screws must be loosened, an adjustment made manually, and then one or more screws must be re-tightened to secure the adjustment. Examples of such hinges include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,295,282, 5,392,493, and 5,511,287. Accordingly, many adjustable hinges may require more than one person to accomplish the adjustment.
To provide adjustable hinges that are operable with greater efficiency and more precise reliability, it has been determined that more refined design engineering skills are required, and the present invention addresses this need and interest.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved hinge for mounting a door on a frame of a furniture article such as a cabinet or desk and with an adjustable hinge arm for adjusting the door relative to the supporting frame that has all of the advantages of prior art hinges and none of the disadvantages. The present invention provides a hinge which is microadjustable, or continuously adjustable in a precise manner, throughout the range of adjustment provided. Further, the present invention provides a hinge which enables stable microadjustrnents by actuating a single adjustment screw. The components of the hinge remain stably secured to each other, and to the door and the frame of the furniture article throughout the adjustment. Adjustment may be accomplished by a single person without the door becoming unsecured or unstable relative to the frame of the furniture article.
A representative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings. The hinge of the present invention makes use of a first hinge member in the form of a cup mountable flush in a bore hole with fastening screws in a known way in the back of a door and a second hinge member adapted to be affixed to a frame. The second hinge member includes a substantially flat portion with an opening in the form of a closed-end or open-end slot through which a fastening screw can be driven into the frame, likewise in a known way.
Herein, the terms xe2x80x9crearwardxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cforward,xe2x80x9d unless otherwise noted, are independently determined for each hinge arm segment. For each hinge arm segment the more rearward portion is that which is proximal to its connection to either a door or frame. The more forward portion of each hinge arm is that portion which is distal to its connection to either a door or frame. Accordingly, the adjustable hinge of the invention relates to two hinge arm segments which are adjustably connected at their forward ends to one another.
Accordingly in one aspect, the present invention relates to a hinge for mounting a door on a frame of a furniture article, comprising a first hinge member adapted to be affixed to the furniture door; a first hinge arm segment having a rearward end portion pivoted to the first hinge member on a pivot axis and having a forward end portion on which is formed a first adjustment plate comprising two segments, the more forward segment forming a right angle with the more rearward segment and comprising an aperture; a second hinge member adapted to be fastened to the furniture article frame; a second hinge arm segment having a rearward end portion extending from the second hinge member, the second hinge member and second hinge arm segment being formed as one piece, and the second hinge arm segment having a forward end portion on which is formed a second adjustment plate comprising two segments, the more rearward segment comprising an aperture and forming a right angle with the more forward segment; wherein the first and second hinge arm segments being adjustably connected to one another by a screw cooperating with the adjustment plates through one of the apertures which is threaded and one aperture which is unthreaded.
In a preferred embodiment, the adjustment screw of the invention further comprises an unthreaded portion proximal to a head of the adjustment screw, and the unthreaded portion engages one of the adjustment plate apertures which is unthreaded.
In another preferred embodiment, at least one of the first and second adjustment plates further comprises opposing lateral edges from which depend a pair of opposing side members which define a channel for receiving the other adjustment plate. More preferably, the opposing lateral edges are spaced from one another a distance which defines a width of the adjustment plate. Most preferably, the opposing side members are spaced from one another a distance which is at least as great as the width of the other adjustment plate.
In another preferred embodiment, longitudinal movement of the adjustment screw is restricted relative to the adjustment plates comprising the unthreaded aperture by a retaining pin perpendicular to the adjustment screw which contacts an annular groove circumscribing the adjustment screw. More preferably, the retaining pin is secured by end portions inserted in opposing apertures formed in the opposing side members of the adjustment plate which comprises the unthreaded aperture.
In another preferred embodiment, the adjustment plate which is received in the channel also comprises opposing lateral edges and a pair of opposing side members depending therefrom. More preferably, these opposing side members contact the retaining pin along edges of the opposing side members which are perpendicular to the retaining pin.
In another preferred embodiment, the adjustment plate comprising the threaded aperture further comprises a raised portion which contacts and stabilizes the adjustment screw on the side of the adjustment screw opposite its contact with the retaining pin. More preferably, the raised portion further comprises lateral flange members which contact opposing sides of the adjustment screw, perpendicular to the opposing sides of the adjustment screw contacted by the retaining pin and the raised portion. Most preferably, the adjustment screw further comprises an unthreaded portion distal to a head portion of the adjustment screw, and the unthreaded portion contacts the raised portion of the adjustment plate.
A three-way adjustment aspect of an embodiment of the adjustable hinge of the present invention not only allows adjustment of the position of a cabinet door vertically up and down relative to the supporting cabinet (e.g., up and down with the door in the closed position to achieve desired spacing of the door from the top and bottom of the cabinet door opening) and horizontally from side to side relative to the supporting cabinet (e.g., from side to side with the door in the closed position to achieve desired spacing of the door from the opposite sides of the cabinet door opening), but also enables adjustment of the cabinet door horizontally in and out relative to the supporting cabinet (e.g., to and fro with the door in the closed position to achieve desired alignment of the front face of the door with the front of the cabinet).
In the three-way adjustment aspect of the hinge for an embodiment of the present invention, a hinge for mounting a door on a furniture article frame for movement between open and closed positions of the door relative to the furniture article frame includes, for example, a first hinge member adapted to be affixed to the door. A first hinge arm segment is pivoted to the first hinge member on a pivot axis defined by a hinge pin and has a forward end portion on which is formed a first adjustment plate with a forward segment and a rearward segment. The forward segment has an aperture and forms a right angle with the rearward segment. A second hinge arm segment has a second adjustment plate formed thereon with a forward segment and a rearward segment. The rearward segment has an aperture and forms a right angle with the forward segment. An adjustment screw cooperates with the adjustment plates through one of the apertures which is threaded and one aperture which is unthreaded to adjustably connect the first and second hinge arm segments to one another. Turning the adjustment screw causes the second hinge arm segment to move relative to the first hinge arm segment in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis and parallel to the door in a closed position thereof.
In this aspect, at least one of said first and second adjustment plates has opposing lateral edges and a pair of opposing side members depending therefrom to define a channel for receiving the other adjustment plate. In addition, a retaining pin extends perpendicular to the adjustment screw and contacts an annular groove circumscribing the adjustment screw. The adjustment screw has an unthreaded portion distal to a head of the adjustment screw which contacts a raised portion of one of the adjustment plates. The second adjustment plate has a pair of opposing side members that define a channel receiving the first adjustment plate. The aperture of the first adjustment plate is threaded, and the aperture of the second adjustment plate is unthreaded, and the adjustment screw has a threaded shaft portion which is received in the threaded aperture. Longitudinal movement of the adjustment screw is restricted relative to the second adjustment plate by the retaining pin extending perpendicular to the adjustment screw and contacting the annular groove circumscribing the adjustment screw. The retaining pin is secured by end portions inserted in opposing apertures formed in opposing side members of the second adjustment plate. The adjustment screw also has an unthreaded portion proximal to the head of the adjustment screw that engages the unthreaded aperture of the second adjustment plate.
The hinge for the three-way adjustment aspect of an embodiment of the present invention also includes, for example, a base plate having an aperture that is elongated and extends parallel to the pivot axis. A movable plate is formed on the rearward end portion of the second hinge arm segment and has an aperture formed therein which is somewhat rectangular and larger than the aperture of the base plate. The movable plate and the base plate are adapted to be fastened on the furniture article frame by at least one mounting screw inserted through the apertures of the movable plate and the base plate. The movable plate has a pair of opposing lateral edges, each of which is bent substantially perpendicular to the movable plate to form a substantially U-shaped channel on the bottom of the movable plate which receives the base plate. The aperture of the base plate is elongated in a direction parallel to the pivot axis and is adapted to allow the base plate and movable plate to be displaced relative to the furniture article frame in a direction parallel to the pivot axis and parallel to the door in a closed position thereof by loosening the mounting screw. An eccentric is mounted in the base plate by means of a dowel and extends through an elongated opening in the movable plate and holds the movable plate and base plate together. The elongated opening in the movable plate extends parallel to the pivot axis. The eccentric is rotatable about a central axis thereof, and the dowel extends parallel to the central axis of the eccentric and is radially offset therefrom. Turning the eccentric causes the movable plate to be displaced on the base plate in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis and perpendicular to the door in a closed position thereof.
The foregoing focuses on the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description which follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention which will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description and drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and of being carried out in various ways.
It is to be further understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and are not to be regarded as limiting. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which this disclosure is based may readily be used as a basis for designing the structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. The claims are regarded as including such equivalent constructions so long as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
From the foregoing summary, it is apparent that an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved hinge for mounting a door on a frame of a furniture article such as a desk or cabinet which has all of the advantages, and more, of prior art devices and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hinge for mounting a door on a frame of a furniture article that is more reliable and functional than those presently available.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and sophisticated, precision made adjustable hinge that is compact, can operate reliably and efficiently, and yet enable renewed, limited adjustments to be made to the mounted door with respect to the frame of the furniture article.
It is an additional feature and advantage of the present invention to provide an adjustable hinge with a three-way adjustment aspect, which enables adjustment of the cabinet door horizontally in and out relative to the supporting cabinet (e.g., to and fro with the door in the closed position to achieve desired alignment of the front face of the door with the front of the cabinet) in addition to up and down and side to side adjustment of the door.
These, together with other objects of the present invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this document.
For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.